Sometimes it’s hard to know how to work with a client during a photo shoot. Indeed, the stakes can be high and naturally involve a certain emotional charge, especially at the start of a career. Photo 911 brings you a 2-part article on this aspect of the professional world for photographers.
- Anticipation
The best way to ensure peace of mind is to plan ahead. Preparing a project can be long and time-consuming, but it’s necessary. First of all, for the project itself, since it seems like a very bad idea to hope that inspiration will fall into your lap when it’s time to shoot. But it’s also good for you. In fact, the more you know deep down that your ideas are solid and that you’ve worked hard on this project, the more you’ll be able to shoot in relaxation on the big day. This applies not only to photography, but also to technical aspects, so it’s a good idea to prepare your equipment (batteries, memory cards, accessories, etc.) as far in advance as possible. In short, this rule may seem simplistic, but it’s a key to success.
- Not so fast
In the face of emotion, and sometimes the presence of a customer or extras, it’s tempting to let oneself go in a hurry. It’s a fast-paced affair, one scene after another, and you feel as if you’ve finished quickly. This is generally a bad idea. It’s quite possible that you’ll get a satisfactory result. But this is rare, unless you’ve been doing exactly that for years. You have to face up to your emotions, and there are several ways of doing this.
First of all, it’s a good idea to arrive a little early for your appointment. Take the time to talk with the people present for the service, define the important points together (those that have not yet been discussed beforehand), and explain your way of working. The main issue is your customer’s satisfaction, no matter (to a certain extent) if they wait a few minutes while you install your lighting. The people on site know why they are there. When it comes to shooting, it’s very important to check your settings regularly. Realizing too late that your shutter speed was too low and that a majority of the shots are a little blurry can be detrimental to the quality of the performance. It’s better to trigger less, but pay particular attention to framing, shot stability, focus and composition. If you’re accompanied by an assistant, share your opinions and suggestions.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s a rather simple question, but one that often requires a little experience to master. The main idea is to remain calm, and to constantly reflect on your work. Everyone knows why he’s here. The customers correct, inform and suggest, the extras wait for instructions to play their part, the photographer supervises, but everyone has to be patient.
